Hybrid generator monitoring for temporary and off-grid power

Silent generators, flat batteries and unknown runtime still cause wasted visits across UK temporary power fleets. A hybrid trailer that stopped charging overnight, a hire generator that dropped offline or a battery storage unit that lost its connection often only shows up when site power is already down — or when the client calls. By then the visit is paid for, and the fault may turn out to be battery state, a SIM or a controller that needed attention hours earlier.

That pattern is expensive for hire desks and main contractors. Overnight call-outs, wasted journeys and "is it still running?" checks eat into margin on generators, hybrids and temporary power kits. Without runtime and battery data, teams have to play safe and drive out.

Remote visibility of power, battery and connection health closes that gap — so you know whether the power system is alive before assuming the generator has failed.

A generator monitoring system is only useful if it answers the questions a hire desk or site manager actually asks: is it running, will it keep running overnight, and does anyone need to go out? For hire, hybrid and temporary power that usually means combining data from the generator controller, the battery system and the gateway itself.

TrackSyte reads what each system exposes — generator and hybrid controllers over RS485 / Modbus where available, Victron equipment, BMS batteries and Smart Shunt for battery data, and EFOY fuel cells through a dedicated integration — then adds connectivity, location and tilt from Neo 2. Alert rules turn that into clear priorities: critical, warning or information, sent by email, webhook or Slack.

In the TrackSyte® Portal you see power, battery and connectivity health across every generator and hybrid pack. Alerts highlight offline links, power problems and battery conditions that justify a visit — and separate them from issues that can wait until morning.

Operations teams, hire desks and site managers share one view. That matters when the person who can refuel or check a BMS is not the person who first hears "the power's down".

Fewer unnecessary site visits means lower operating costs for temporary power fleets. See the commercial impact page, or estimate your own savings with the site visit calculator.

Hybrid power units pair a generator with a battery bank, inverter and often solar, so the generator only runs when the batteries need charging. Done well, that cuts fuel and running hours sharply. Done blind, it hides problems: a battery bank that no longer holds charge makes the generator start far more often, and nobody notices until fuel use or engine hours jump.

Remote monitoring of the energy storage side shows battery state of charge, voltage and current, charging from solar and generator, and how often the generator is being called. That makes it clear whether a hybrid unit is performing as designed, needs a battery check, or is sized wrongly for the load on that site.

A solar hybrid generator adds solar panels to the generator and battery bank, so on a good day the site runs on solar and stored energy and the generator barely starts. That makes them popular for off-grid power on welfare units, site cabins, CCTV towers and remote compounds — but it also adds one more thing that can quietly stop working.

TrackSyte shows solar yield, battery state of charge and how often the generator is called, side by side. If solar output drops because panels are dirty, shaded or damaged, or the batteries stop holding charge, you see the generator running more before fuel bills and engine hours tell you. For off-grid sites with no generator at all, the same view shows whether solar and batteries are keeping up with the load.

For generators, hybrids and temporary power, the connections that usually matter first are RS485 / Modbus, Ethernet and LTE-M / NB-IoT cellular — plus a 9–30 V DC supply, Bluetooth and support for Victron equipment, BMS batteries and Smart Shunt.

TrackSyte Neo 2 brings those connections together and sends the data into the Portal over MQTT or API. RS485 is fitted as standard — see RS485 / Modbus, Ethernet and cellular IoT for how each connection works.

Neo 2 works with Victron power systems, smart and lithium batteries with a BMS, and Smart Shunt for battery monitoring — see the Victron integration. For fuel-cell sites, the EFOY integration brings fuel cell status into the same view. Where plant shares the compound, CAN bus adds machine data too.

Hybrid tower or power trailer. A hybrid pack powering a security tower or welfare unit needs reliable battery and connection health. Neo 2 reports Modbus/RS485, Ethernet or cellular status to the Portal, with Victron and Smart Shunt support where that kit is fitted.

Standalone hire generator. Hire generators move often and are easy to lose sight of. Remote alerts on power and connectivity cut out the "drive out to check it's running" routine before a client finds a cold site.

Battery storage or solar-hybrid compound. Battery storage and solar-hybrid compounds need clear visibility of power and connectivity. TrackSyte monitors the interfaces each system provides.

Fuel cell site. Where EFOY fuel cells power remote sites, the EFOY integration brings their status into the Portal alongside everything else.

Power and CCTV tower compound. Many compounds combine temporary power with mobile security towers. CCTV tower monitoring covers the towers, and pump and sump monitoring covers wet sites — all in the same Portal.

Physical. Temporary power sits on compounds, towers and hire yards where fuel theft, tampering and overnight outages are real risks. Monitoring power, battery and connectivity supports that job alongside your generator controllers, not instead of them.

Cyber. Data travels into TrackSyte over MQTT, protected by authentication, TLS encryption and certificates.